A team from the Home Office were accompanied by officers from Cambridgeshire Constabulary as they raided the Happy House Chinese takeaway, in Main Street, on Thursday evening.

Staff were questioned to check if they had the right to be in the UK. Three people, two Chinese men, aged 34 and 43, and a 60-year-old Malaysian woman, were found to be in the country illegally. All three were arrested.

The woman and eldest man have since been released on immigration bail and will have to report regularly to the Home Office while their cases are progressed. The younger man is still detained while further investigations take place into his case.

Happy House was served with a notice warning that a civil penalty of up to £20,000 per illegal worker will be imposed unless proof is provided that legally required pre-employment checks were carried out such as seeing a Home Office document or passport. This is a total potential fine of £60,000.

Graham Teigh, from the Cambridgeshire Home Office Immigration Enforcement team, said: “We treat all allegations of illegal working extremely seriously, and those who ignore the rules will not go under our radar.

“Rogue businesses in Cambridgeshire are encouraging illegal immigration and undercutting honest employers. It is the employer’s responsibility to check their staff have permission to work in the UK and we are happy to work with those who play by the rules.

“Those who choose not to carry out these checks can expect enforcement visits and financial penalties.”

Councillor James Palmer, leader of East Cambridgeshire District Council, has thrown his hat in the ring to become the new Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, with hopes to “improve infrastructure and provide high quality housing for all”.